Abstract

Lasso peptides are ribosomally synthesized, post-translationally modified peptides produced by bacteria. They share an interlocked topology, consisting of a macrolactam ring at the N-terminus and a C-terminal tail that is threaded through the ring and is firmly trapped inside. This compact and constrained structure gives high stability to lasso peptides, which can thus be applied as a molecular framework for developing bioactive peptides. The chemical and genetic diversity of lasso peptides is revealed by mining microbial genomes. This chapter will present concepts and advances on lasso peptide engineering as well as information gained from genome-mining studies. To conclude, perspectives in the lasso peptide research will be discussed.